1. Field
One feature relates to wireless communications, and, more particularly, to a method of serving as a proxy beacon for a device used to track an object, such as a pet.
2. Background
Prior art pet tracking systems include a wireless, battery powered pet tracking device that is carried by the pet, and a home beacon station that communicates with the pet tracking device. In these systems, the pet tracking device communicates with the home beacon station over a low-power communications interface like Bluetooth® or other short-range radio.
When the pet, carrying the pet tracking device, leaves the proximity of the home beacon station, the pet tracking device loses the beacon signal. This may happen when the pet leaves the premises of the pet owner's home (e.g., the pet escapes), the pet owner takes the pet for a walk, or when the pet enters a “dead zone,” which is a part of the owner's property where the home beacon station signal is too weak. When the beacon signal is lost, the pet tracking device communicates with a central server through a wireless wide area network (WWAN), such as a cellular network, using a relatively high power wireless communications interface. Specifically, the pet tracking device may transmit information to the central server indicating that the pet may have escaped, and if the pet tracking device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, it may also communicate location information. The central server may then contact the pet owner and inform them of the whereabouts of the pet.
The pet tracking device that is affixed to the pet should ideally be small so as to cause as little interference with the pet's day to day activities as possible. Thus, the battery used to power the pet tracking device also needs to be small, and therefore it will be inherently limited in its power capacity. However, transmitting data to the central server using the WWAN communications interface of the pet tracking device consumes significant power. For example, merely turning on and initiating the WWAN communications interface and a WWAN modem associated with the WWAN communications interface in anticipation of transmissions and receptions uses considerable battery power. In addition, the long range transmissions of data add to the power consumption in a very measurable way. Thus, the batteries of pet tracking devices of the prior art may need to be replaced or charged frequently, particularly, if the pet tracking device communicates often with the central server via the WWAN.
Thus, there is a need for methods and devices that extend the battery life of a tracking device without compromising the effectiveness and ability of the tracking device to communicate information, such as location information and other data, to a central server.